Combined switch-box support and lath holder



March 8, 1927.

' c. E. BOWERS COMBINED SWITCH BOX SUPPORT AND LATH HOLDER I Filed Jan. 9, 1925 INVENTOR. U74 AUDE E. BOWERS A TTORNE Y.

Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

* OFFICE.

CLAUDE E. nownns, or Los ANGELEs, CALIFORNIA. A

COMBINED SWITCH-BOX SUPPORT AND LATH I-IIOLDER.

Application filed January An important object of the invention is to provide a. metal sup-porting plate stamped from a single sheet of metal which will rigidly support in position on a building wall metal loom or switch boxes of various sizes, and at the same time furnish a support for the unsecured ends of the wall lathing extending from the wall stud to the supporting plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch box sup-porting plate in which the box may be readily and quickly adjusted in position on the plate.

Other objects and advantages will be ap parent from the following specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying the same in which Fig. 1 is a front face view of the switch box support secured in position on a wall.

Fig. 2 is avertical section of the same taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the switch box support.

Fig. 4: is a transverse section of the same taken on line 1-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a partial perspective View of one of the ends of a switch box, showing the adjustable attaching brackets.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, 5 designates a sheet metal plate of a gage sulficient to render the same rigid when secured in position, the plate preferably be ing die formed. The upper and lower transverse edges 6, 7, res ectively, are bent at an angle to the body of the plate for increasing its rigidity. Adjacent one end of the body of the plate is formed an elongated opening 8 having its corners enlarged as at 9 so as to accommodate switch boxes of various forms, a typical box 10 being shown mounted within the opening 8 in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Formed on the upper and lower edges 11, 12, respectively, of the opening 8, and midway of their lengths, are tongues 13, 14, bent at substantially right angles to the plate body and projecting from its front face. These tongues are adapted to engage metal box attaching eyes 15, 16, adjustably secured by means of set screws 17 on the upper and lower walls 18, 19, of the switch box. By adjustably securing the eyes 15, 16, to the switch box, the same may be mounted on the plate so that it projects from the outer face of the same a distance equal to the 9, 1925. Serial No. 1,420.-

thickness of the plaster coats that are subsequently applied to the wall.

In some cases switch boxes are not provided with attaching eyes similar to the ones illustrated, but with simple tongues rigidly secured thereto, to provide for such constructions bolt holes 20 are provided along the edges 15, 16. Near one vertical edge of the plate are formed a plurality of nail holes 21, for the purpose of securely nailing the plate to 'thestudding 22 of the Wall.

When the switch box plate or support is secured to a stud it will be noted that the space between the unsecured end of the plate or support and the studding 23 must be covered with lathing, and as the lathing cannot extend from one stud to the other, as it does above and below the switch box supporting plate, arrangements must be provided on the unsecured end of the plate for supporting the unattached ends of short pieces of lath ing. To this end, plate 5 is provided at one end thereof with a vertically disposed slit 25, the metal strip 26 on the inner side of the slit being forced outwardly as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4:, to form an elongated slot 27 which lies parallel to the body of the plate. In such construction short pieces of lat-hing 28 are nailed to the face of the stud 23 with their unsecured ends disposed in the slot 27. As the transverse width of the slot is approximately the thickness of the lathing, the unsecured ends of said lath will be securely held in engagement with the end of the supporting plate. Plate 5 adjacent nail holes 21 is provided with a pair of openings 28 in vertical alinement to provide for the passage of the lath nails 29 therethrough that hold the ends of laths 30 to the studding 22.

l/Vhen the switch box plate is secured on the wall with the ends of the short latl'iing in engagement with the slot 27 of the plate, the wall is in condition for the reception of the usual plaster coats. As the strip 26 lies closely against the lathing that is disposed in the slot 27 no difficulty will be experienced by the plasterers in spreading the plaster coats upon the wall, as there are no tongues to project or interfere with the plasterers" tools.

What I claim is A support for loom boxes comprising a rectangular sheet metal plate provided adjaoent one of its ends with a polygonal opening for the reception of a loom box, two of the oppositely disposed edges of the opening being provided with bendable. attaching prongs adapted to engage and support a loom boX Within the polygonal opening, said plate being provided with a vertical slit adjacent one of the vertical edges of the loom box opening, the metal at one side of the slit being bent outwardly from the outer face of the plate to formv a support for the unsecured ends of lathing.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day of December, 1924:.

CLAUDE E. BOVVERS. 

